Access Showcase 25'
Inclusive Wayfinding through Touch
Singapore Art Museum
Project Lead
2025
Art and culture should be accessible to everyone. But for many, the experience begins long before the artwork — it starts with simply finding your way. Imagine stepping into an unfamiliar space — where do you begin? Which way are the galleries?
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Creating a clear sense of spatial awareness is key. We designed a tactile diorama of SAM Level 1 and Level 3 to help persons with visual impairment (VI) orient themselves independently, while making navigation more intuitive for all visitors. The goal is to build a clear mental image through touch and sound.
A Shared Language
Visitors start at the legend panel, which uses a consistent icon system developed and tested together with the VI community. This legend was first introduced in our Accessible Sights project at Enabling Village and has since become a shared language for navigation. Keeping this system consistent ensures that users don’t have to relearn new icons each time they visit a different space — fostering familiarity, confidence, and independence.
Independent Exploration Through Audio
A QR code on the map links to audio descriptions that guide users through the museum at their own pace, allowing for self-directed exploration anytime.
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Building the Big Picture
At the base of the diorama, a mini map provides an overview of the gallery layout — offering a big-picture understanding before zooming into details such as restrooms, staircases, or obstacles. We’ve found that starting from a broader view helps visitors form a mental image of the space without feeling overwhelmed.
Replicating the Actual Space
We replicated key architectural details — including door types and swing directions, cargo lift movements, and room divisions — using high-contrast colours to support those with low vision.
Designing for Tactile Clarity
A raised “You Are Here” marker provides a clear starting point, while multi-level tactile printing establishes a touch hierarchy: key information is raised higher, while secondary details are subtly lower to reduce confusion but remain discoverable.
A concaved pathway guides fingers naturally through the model — ensuring intuitive navigation even across complex 3D-printed model.
Designed to Adapt
Since museum layouts evolve over time, the diorama was designed to be modular and adaptable.
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Its LEGO-like structure allows gallery sections and legend plates to be swapped out easily as exhibitions change, ensuring long-term sustainability.
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By combining tactile design, universal icons, and sensory cues, the diorama enables visitors with visual impairment to explore the museum with greater independence — making art spaces truly inclusive, one touch at a time.
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